Job satisfaction and turnover intentions among health care staff providing services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Background: Option B+ for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV (i.e., lifelong antiretroviral treatment for all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers living with HIV) was initiated in Tanzania in 2013. While there is evidence that this policy has benefits for the health of the mother and the child, Option B+ may also increase the […]
Time for change is now: Experiences of participants in a community-based approach for iron and folic acid supplementation in a rural county in Kenya, a qualitative study
Background Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (IFAS) is recommended by World Health Organization as part of antenatal care to prevent anaemia in pregnancy. In 2010, Kenya adopted this recommendation and the current policy is to provide one combined IFAS tablet for daily use throughout pregnancy, free of charge, in all public health facilities. However, adherence […]
Mental health and psychosocial interventions integrating sexual and reproductive rights and health, and HIV care and prevention for adolescents and young people (10–24 years) in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic scoping review
Background: Interventions targeting combined sexual and reproductive health, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) management and mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are few. There is a need to address common determinants of poor mental, psychosocial and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through multimodal and multipronged interventions for adolescents. The main objective of this […]
Time and cost associated with utilization of services at mobile health clinics among pregnant women
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is provided for free in Tanzania in all public health facilities. Yet surveys suggested that long distances to the facilities limit women from accessing these services. Mobile health clinics (MHC) were introduced to address this problem; however, little is known about the client cost and time associated with utilizing ANC at […]
Where is information quality lost at clinical level? A mixed-method study on information systems and data quality in three urban Kenyan ANC clinics
Background: Well-working health information systems are considered vital with the quality of health data ranked of highest importance for decision making at patient care and policy levels. In particular, health facilities play an important role, since they are not only the entry point for the national health information system but also use health data (and […]
Dissemination of the Spear & Shield Project using a Training of Trainers Model: A reflection on challenges and successes
Several large-scale clinical trials have conclusively demonstrated that voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) could provide a 50%-70% reduction in HIV acquisition, but willingness to undergo VMMC has been lowest in Zambia compared to other countries in eastern and southern Africa. This manuscript describes training for “task-shifting”among local healthcare workers at Community Health Centers (CHCs) applying […]
Stunting in the Context of Plenty: Unprecedented Magnitudes Among Children of Peasant’s Households in Bukombe, Tanzania
Background: It is perceived that children living in peasants’ households are protected from undernutrition owing to a relative better food availability. However, evidence suggests an increased vulnerability that is not conforming to such norm and varies from one region to another. To address this research gap, we examined the magnitude and factors associated with stunting […]
A 10 year study of the cause of death in children under 15 years in Manhiça, Mozambique
Background. Approximately 46 million of the estimated 60 million deaths that occur in the world each year take place in developing countries. Further, this mortality is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, although causes of mortality in this region are not well documented. The objective of this study is to describe the most frequent causes of mortality […]
Modelling cost benefit of community-oriented primary care in rural South Africa
Background: Globally, rural populations have poorer health and considerably lower levels of access to healthcare compared with urban populations. Although the drive to ensure universal coverage through community healthcare worker programmes has shown significant results elsewhere, their value has yet to be realised in South Africa. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine […]
Maternal anemia in pregnancy: Assessing the effect of routine preventive measures in a malaria-endemic area
We investigated the effectiveness of routine preventive measures for anemia in Beninese pregnant women during pregnancy. Anemia (hemoglobin < 110 g/L) was common: 68.3% at first antenatal visit (ANV1), 64.7% at second antenatal visit (ANV2), and 40.6% at delivery. Parasitic infections and nutritional deficiencies were the most preventable causes. After intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) and […]
